


Fate/King's Rage

by White Trenchcoat (white_trenchcoat)



Category: Fate/Zero
Genre: Angst, Berserker!Arturia AU, Drama, Featuring, Gen, Kariya isn't as pathetic, Saber!Lancelot, Shinji is a little shit, Zouken is dead from the start, because screw him, eventually, he does grow a spine, kind of abusive relationship?, now with extra moe!Sakura and Arturia bonding, par for the course, why is Kariya so fun to torment?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-03-30 03:27:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13941606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/white_trenchcoat/pseuds/White%20Trenchcoat
Summary: On the eve of the Fourth Holy Grail War, Kariya Matou summons a spirit quite unlike the one he expected; for better or for worse. Together, can they triumph and, more importantly, survive each other long enough to see things through to the end? Will Kariya grow a spine? Will Berserker stop eating? Is Zouken Matou actually dead? (Yes).Fate/Zero AU with Berserker!Artoria.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A kind of addition to my previous work The Stained King, dealing with an Artoria who was summoned as Berserker instead of Saber (Since there's a Lancer version). I think there is a good chance of her being summoned as Berserker, probably for similar reasons why Saber Alter exists. So, this may be a full story, if I get enough inspiration/interest, but it might just cover parts of Fate/Zero that we see with Kariya and Berserker. So, this is the part where in the original Kariya summons canon Berserker.
> 
> Presumably Arturia would have Mad Enhancement, but still be able to speak.

Watching her weapon slide into the traitorous knight, Artoria Pendragon felt nothing. The face was hers, blonde hair and blue eyes, but belonged instead to her daughter. Pathetic; did she really think she could rule Artoria's Kingdom with that?

Picking the legendary sword from the ground, she swept it down, removing the enemy leader's head from her shoulders. It would have been good to pick up the child's head and show everyone the price for treachery, but those who would have cared were long since dead.

Putting her foot forward, the King stumbled, suddenly feeling light headed. Her heart was beating loudly, blood pumping from the battle, so she only now felt the wound in her side. Warm blood flowed over her probing fingers, gravity helping the crimson liquid out.

Artoria laughed softly, falling onto the small mound she'd fought Mordred on. Her arms weakly lifted her up, but she collapsed, so instead rolled onto her back, seeing the battlefield upside down. Her laughter turned to shrieks of anger and disbelief, culminating in her last words being yelled to the sky.

"Traitors! All of you! May this Kingdom be cursed! May your happiness turn to sorrow and your glory turn to shame. I shall never forgive, I will... never... forget..." The proclamation ended with a whisper, the sky turning blood red.

***

Uncomfortable, unpleasant, unnerving, the white haired man didn't feel like himself at all with the worms moving inside his body. Kariya Matou became a mere vessel for the old man's greed; but if it meant saving Sakura, the mage would go through Hell. Gritting his teeth, and feeling the presence of a heroic spirit manifest itself in response to his chant, Kariya felt for the first time that his goal was in sight. Such power could only come from a superior spirit, one worthy of his hatred and rage.

Yes, his rage. He raged at Zouken for putting him in this situation, raged at his brother for his weakness, and he raged at the magic that cursed his family and life. He hated that Sakura had to suffer, that he'd been too late to save her completely. Why could they not have a peaceful life? Was he cursed to suffer, always, for doing the right thing.

Ignoring the gleeful aura from the old man, his biological father, the haphazard Mage pushed with everything he had. In his mind he saw the brutal landscape of a civil war, corpses still fresh from battle with the stench of blood filling his nostrils.

The incantation burnt his throat, and it was like his very life force was absorbed into the summoning circle. He grunted as the rest of his power wrapped around the spirit and pulled them out of history. A white light, the purest, blinded him just before it turned a sickly red. Kariya almost collapsed, panting as he looked up at the presence summoned by his forced magic.

Tarnished silver armour and a black corroded, smoking blade seared themselves into his mind. The sword gave off a sickly red glow that surrounded its wielder. Her eyes, a piercing black with red sclera, were surely beautiful once, but now just reminded him of a demon. He knew instinctively this spirit was a woman, but also a knight. A blackened crown confused him even more, the terrifying figure clearly someone of great importance.

A battlefield of blood, a great betrayal, and the fall of a King; despite the physical evidence, this was none other than Arthur Pendragon. "TRAITORS!" roared a guttural voice, deafening to the watchers present. Her attention latched onto them, piercing gaze causing Kariya to cringe away.

She walked out of the circle, sword drawn and fresh with blood. "WHICH OF YOU IS MY MASTER!" 

Zouken kicked Kariya forwards so he bowed at her feet. Trembling, he stuttered out the final requirement.

"I, I, I am Ka-kariya Ma-matou. I, I am your Master. I command-"

"You dare? YOU DARE COMMAND I, THE KING OF KNIGHTS?"

"Keep your servant under control, Kariya. Goodness, you are such a disappointment."

Kariya felt her anger zero in on the figure behind him, the sword brought up and down in a diagonal cut that split the old man in four pieces. Blood trickled from his own cheek where it had glanced him, and he looked back at the collapsed body in fear. Kariya whimpered, unsure what to do as he turned to look at the servant. "The stench of evil lingers. You!" She pointed at the Magus. "There is evil in you. It must be ERADICATED!"

"NO!" yelled Kariya, jumping up and staggering away from the sword's slash. "By the power of my Command Seal, I order you. Kneel before me" he yelled, emboldened by Zouken's death and leaping to his feet. A screech of inconceivable rage ripped itself from the servant's throat, legs trembling from the command. "Kneel! I am your MASTER!"

Her knees slammed into the ground, head glaring with such hatred that the little confidence he gained wilted. No, he had to stay strong, had to command this spirit who existed only because of him. "I am not evil. Look into my thoughts; see why I fight!"

The mental connection was fierce, and Kariya felt blood pour from nose and eyes. Her rage was eldritch and corruptive, her search a grasping and prodding procedure. She found his deepest, darkest desires, things even he had only suspected. From his earliest childhood memories, to his sinful pleasures and fantasies, like Aoi reclining on a bed as she gave herself to him, Kariya Matou was laid bare before her judgement.

He moaned quietly, not even bothering to look at her own memories. When the knight had seen into his very soul, she let him fall back. She wasn't screaming now, merely glaring. "I would not dream to postulate myself your superior, or pretend to be a better person, but we both have a wish. We both have a desire; you have fulfilled mine, and so I will fulfil yours. My King, accept me as your vassal."

Where was this strength coming from? Since the old bastard's death, he felt like a different person, like he could actually do this. Did his father really have such an effect on him? Did he really matter that much? In the end, his body wasn't Zouken's, nor his own. It was Sakura's, through and through. He knelt, with that action allowing her to stand.

She stalked out of the circle, sword raised up as she spoke. "You… I despise your kind." He flinched as if slapped, keeping his tongue silent before this immense air of dominance. "Like all men, all you desire is women, and everything you do is purely because of that." Kariya closed his eyes, a tear dripping from his right eye.

The death knell did not come, and he dared to look up. "You protect the weak, only to gain the one that belongs to you. However! A King must weigh his judgements carefully and selfishly. For the sake of that girl, so innocent and pure, I shall deign to lower myself and make us associates." She relaxed the sword, placing it back in the sheath that was perpetually rotting away, although it did not diminish.

"I can bear the evil that is cowardly and self serving, but not the type that deals with demons or sorcerers. By my decree, you shall not refer to me as King of Knights, or King at all. Berserker will do."

She grabbed Kariya by his collar, turning to leave the room with him. "You will explain it all to me, and by God Himself, if you waiver in your devotion, and do not feed me well, my wrath will be clear" she warned, ignoring the struggling Kariya's protests.

This was nothing like he imagined.


	2. King's Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kariya starts to realise just what it means to be Berserker's Master, and Artoria forces the issue on making him worthy enough to command her.

Chapter 2: A King's Pain

"Did you see, the young Master has returned!" revealed Kisa, the young maid having heard many tales of the tragic story. Her senior, only a year or two older, nodded slowly in response, looking worried as always.

"But what happened to his face? And did you see Master Zouken's expression? What could make -him- happy?" she replied, causing Kisa to look quizzically at the ceiling.

The two maids walked near the room that was the Master's private study, only sparing a glance to the forbidden room. Kisa gasped, pointing at the smoke wafting slowly from beneath the door. She grabbed Maria's arm.

"Is that… a fire? Fire! We need to alert the household!" she panicked, but Maria shook her head.

"I don't smell anything burning. Look, it's dissipating, and we should not be this close. Master Zouken is practicing magic, and our souls are better if we do not witness his vile practices. Come, let us check on Mistress Sakura."

Before Kisa could reply, the door banged open, flying off its hinges and towards them. Maria pulled her junior out of the way just in time, the two trembling in shock. They looked at the smoke, a figure in armour taking great strides out and dragging something behind them.

=||====-

Berserker dumped Kariya on the floor in front of her, arms folded. The two maids before her, probably gossiping about something as they passed, jumped at her presence. They cowered in fear; perhaps they thought the old bastard was going to punish them. How it sickened her to find yet another old man who needed to surround himself with younger women.

"Stand to attention!" she cried, drawing her sword to add weight to her words. They fell in line, standing prim and proper before the Servant. Berserker nodded in satisfaction, enjoying the fear she'd removed from her own servants at court. They had nothing to fear from her; and that was the problem.

"Zouken Matou is dead. This is your new master, Kariya Matou, and he requires some proper clothes. You serve him now, and his first decree is dinner. Everything you have. I expect you to have that, and him, at the dining room in thirty minutes."

=||====-

Kariya trembled as the maids came to him, gentle hands aiding his wounded body. "Kisa, was it?" he asked weakly, and the maid nodded. "Maria will be enough. Please, find Sakura and bring her to my room, then inform the servants of my Servant's demands."

"Yes, Master Kariya" bowed the servant, walking off with a brisk step. The Magus allowed her to guide him, even though he tried not to put too much weight on the woman's body. Nothing was said until they had left the armoured Servants sight, and were close to Kariya's bedroom. Childhood memories flooded into the Magus' mind and he wept for a few moments.

"Master Kariya, may I speak?" asked Maria as she opened the door for him. The young man blinked as if coming out of a trance, and nodded, shuffling towards his bed. "Who… was that?"

"My Servant. You are to call her Berserker. Anything else is too complex for me to explain now. Zouken is dead, and we should be happier for it." He sat up on the bed, getting his energy back. "You know the circumstances behind Sakura's stay here?"

"Yes, sir. Master Zouken charged me with being her caretaker. She has been given to him to be raised as a mage, just like he planned for you. She was originally from the Tohsaka family."

"That will not happen now. Father was a monster, and would have used her for his own gains. She is to be treated like an ordinary girl now, and you will never again mention that bastard's name in our presence any more. Is that understood? snapped Kariya, causing Maria to flinch. A horrified look crossed his face suddenly at her tears. "I'm sorry, I don't mean-

"No no, Master Kariya I am… so happy. That poor girl…" wept the young woman, and Kariya embraced her. Together they shared in the grim happiness of Zouken Matou's demise.

=||====-

Every servant had been gathered in the dining hall, most helping prepare the feast that had been laid out on the table. Sitting at the head, Berserker shovelled food towards her stomach, forcing it down her throat.

"Mm! This is good, and so is that. So many different styles, so much food. I could feed my Kingdom for decades on this" muttered Artoria between mouthfuls. Always giving up her food, spreading her wealth, it felt so good to be selfish, to have everything for herself. "More wine!" she roared, a terrified Kisa rushing forwards to pour some into her glass.

The Servant backhanded the maid, instead grabbing the jug and gulping it down. The maid cried out, echoed by Maria who moved in to help the the crying girl. Artoria turned her head to look, laughing at the blood that trickled from Kisa's broken nose.

She fixed her hungry eyes on the two serving girls, Maria's disgusted glare making the Servant rejoice inside. Yes, this is who she was, who she was meant to be. "See how a King should act, servants!" she laughed, returning to the food. "Hungry. So hungry."

She caught Kariya's look of disapproval and glared at him. "Don't blame me for this now, Kariya. Your Mana reserves are not nearly enough to support my full strength, so I must find sustenance some other way. We could fuck, but you wouldn't last five minutes."

=||====-

Kariya flinched when she spoke to him, blushing and looking away at her words. "What? Is my eunuch embarrassed? Or maybe you're hungry? She ripped a chicken leg off her roast and threw it on the floor. "Come. Eat it."

"What? No!!

"You would dare refuse my magnanimous offer? Do you know how many serfs would do anything to just sit with the King for a meal. Now come and eat. You will get nothing else but the scraps off my table!"

"Then I'll starve, and we'll die together" spat Kariya, staring his Servant directly in the eyes. "Sakura is safe; Zouken is dead. I've done what I wanted."

Her gauntlets slammed down on the table, making everyone jump. "Get out. Aren't you supposed to be preparing dessert? You, go and order some of this fried food the Grail has told me."

"Y, y, yes, m'Lord." Trembling, another maid left the room along with the injured one. Kariya saw she was breathing normally, but the dried blood struck home how bad the situation had gotten. When the rest had filed out, Artoria stood up, walking around the table to stare down at Kariya with another leg. He held his ground, defiantly matching her gaze. All of that went when she picked him up, bringing their faces closer.

"You brought me to this world. That makes this YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! I have been given a second chance at life; the only thing I ever wanted, yet YOU would decide to just GIVE UP? I AM A SERVANT IN NAME ONLY; YOU ARE ONLY MY MASTER BY CHANCE."

"I'm not going to be your servant or slave. I am your Master, whether you like it or not. I fed you, I will clothe you and help you, but I will not bow to you. I am not a dog or a eunuch; I am Kariya Matou!"

"GOOD!" She pushed him down, a satisfied smile on her face that was close to being a leer. "You are weak in body, but strong in spirit." She flicked his forehead, ignoring the cry of pain. "Stop THINKING about Sakura. The innocence of a child will weaken you in the coming battle!"

She bent down, presenting her bosom to the irate Master. He turned away a minute too late, the lust evident in his eyes. "What's wrong? What is there to be ashamed of? Being unfaithful to a woman whose NOT EVEN YOURS?!" laughed Artoria cruelly, flicking away a lock of hair.

"Imagine her like this, or maybe this" whispered the Servant, straddling him and lifting her head up. "Oh, Kariya, take me away. My Husband is bad to me and our children miss you so much." This was in a sing-song voice, and ended with a hollow laugh that turned Kariya sheet white. He pushed her off him and scrambled to his feet, panting heavily.

Chuckling on the floor, the knight looked up into the traumatised eyes of her master. "That's it. That's what you need. You don't love her, you just want her, so bad you can't stop thinking of her. Those kids? They should be YOURS! Instead she loves another, and you can't stand it" spat Artoria, getting to her feet.

Gripping the hilt of Excalibur, the wind around it that constituted Invisible Air shrouded his eyes in darkness, Kariya panicking yet again.

Two delicate hands ran up his legs slowly, moving up to his chest and framing his face. A woman's heavy breathing, a feminine presence, made Kariya whimper, because the first image he imagined was Aoi doing this to him.

And she was naked.

"No, stop it" whimpered the Magus, moaning as the phantom spoke with her voice. "With the grail, I can be yours. Tokiomi will die by your hands, and I will receive your heroic return. Kariya, you are the only man for me."

A silken hand stroked his lips, and Kariya ran with a shrill scream. He couldn't see where he was going, but he knew he had to get away from the lurid fantasies. His sight returned, seeing the fiery eyes of Artoria as she stood in front of him.

She tripped him, and jumped on his back with an evil grin. "Admit it. Admit you want her. You want to fuck her, don't you?"

"Yes! OK? I WANT her to be MINE. She SHOULD BE MINE!"

"YOU WANT TO FUCK HER, DON'T YOU?"

"YES! But she loves Tokiomi. She loves him, she has children with him. She will NEVER LOVE ME" shouted Kariya, weeping into the carpet. Shuddering, he spoke slowly; "I thought I could be happy for her, but… but I love her. If I hadn't run away, if I had fought harder, then maybe, maybe Sakura and Rin would call me, papa."

"How does it feel to be left with nothing? To be forsaken by the ones you help? Now, you know my pain" whispered his Servant, anger imbuing every word that touched his ear. He stopped struggling, just given himself to her voice.

"Forget the past; we can change the past. You can be their, papa." She said the last part in a little girl's voice, and Kariya howled in pain.

"FINE! OK? FINE!"

She got off him, staring at the mess of emotions that was her master. "Now get up. If you want food, then order me to give you some, or get the servants to do so. Just because you fear me doesn't mean you should be a little bitch about it."

"So you see me as an equal now?"

"We are not equals; you wanted to be my vassal. You will do what I say and advise me on important matters. Now come, food awaits, and then battle."

She walked back to the dining room.

"BURGERS? YOU BRING ME BURGERS?! YOU SHALL BE REWARDED!" boomed Artoria's voice, the sounds of her eating resuming. Picking himself up, Kariya walked back, stopping outside the doorway and gesturing to Maria. The maid bowed slightly as she saw him, but he waved it away. 

"How is Kisa? Is she OK?"

"Yes, it was just her nose. She's shaken more than anything."

"I'm glad. I will see her later. Where, where is Sakura? I asked Kisa to bring her to me but-

"Ah, I meant to tell you about that, Master, since Kisa passed the task to me. It's not good; she won't come out of her room. She wants to see you first. I think she heard the shouting."

"Fair. Come with me, won't you?"

She just supported him as a response, and they headed off to meet his darling Sakura.


	3. King's Guilt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Chapter 3: King's Guilt. I know there are a few enquiries in the comments so I'll answer those at the end.
> 
> For now, enjoy.

Kariya looked up at the door to Sakura's room, taking a deep breath to steel himself. He shook his hands, and opened the door.

"Hey, Sakura~? Uncle Kariya's here~" announced Kariya softly, smiling at the girl who was lying facedown. He could see her ears almost perk up at his voice, body transforming into the child he remembered. She jumped off and ran to the scarred Master, hugging him around the legs and looking up with a beaming smile.

It had only been a day since they last spoke, but so much had happened. He bent down to embrace her properly, holding the little girl tight. "I can't sleep, Uncle Kariya. The dreams, the things inside me, I don't know what to do; I don't know what they mean. I feel dirty, am I dirty? Will mama and papa want me still after the worms?"

Kariya tightened his grip, body shuddering against her. He pulled away, and gave a painful smile to his little treasure. That was a mistake, because her worried eyes reminded him of Aoi, and his heart ached further. "Of course! Your parents love you, no matter what." She smiled again, tearing his soul apart even further. A salty tear plopped onto the carpet, followed by another.

"Uncle Kariya, why are you crying?"

"I'm just… very happy to see you. Don't worry, everything's going to be OK. Zouken is dead, and I'm going to find a cure. I'll make you all better and we'll be a happy family again."

"We'll… be?" asked Sakura, confused by his last words. He continued smiling, screaming internally, and nodded as if he had meant to say that.

"Yes. You, Rin, me, and your parents, we can all be happy."

Sakura nodded, satisfied, and pulled away, looking up with a hopeful smile. "When they're gone, can I go back? I don't like it here."

There was a long pause, a brief expression crossing Kariya's face that made her frown. It was very unlike him, and instead very like his father. "Yes. We'll go back. Not now, but soon. OK, your, Uncle, Kariya is going to go now, but ask for anything you want. Then tomorrow, I'll buy you a nice present. Now go to bed."

"Yay I can't wait!" cheered the girl, twirling around happily. "And make sure you read me a story before bed, OK? Daddy doesn't do the voices like you or mum do!"

"Haha, sure why not? Maria!"

"Yes, Master Kariya?"

"Please check on Kisa. I have a special request for her tomorrow. I will not need you for the rest of the night."

"I understand, Master. Goodbye, Lady Matou."

"Sakura! My name is Sakura Tohsaka!" Kariya whimpered, turning swiftly to the bookcase to hide his expression. "Are you OK, Uncle?"

"I'm fine, I just banged my toe. Say bye bye to Miss Maria now."

"Bye bye Maria!"

She bowed, and departed the room. "Now, I may be out of practice, but I'll give it a go. Have you brushed your teeth?"

"Yep!"

"Not in bed though, are you?"

She rushed over to the bed, diving under the covers and putting on a cherubic smile. The girl hummed to herself softly as Kariya picked out a book he thought she'd like. A tale of dreams coming true and being lifted from a sad life.

He limped over, pulling himself onto the bed with a monumental effort. Eventually he got on, and lay beside her with the book open.

"Cinderella, Chapter one."

^v^v^v

Sakura finally asleep, Kariya left her room and closed the door. All of his strength left him, legs immediately becoming jelly and dropping him to the floor. He wept in the meantime, unable to do anything else. Nothing would change in the end. Sakura would return to her family, and he'd be left on the outside again.

"You can be their papa." Berserker's words came back to him, along with the delusional image of Aoi naked before him.

"You're the only man for me." Deep inside, he felt the worms convulse and grant him a burst of energy. Images ran through his mind, dreams and memories mixing together.

"Master Kariya."

Snapped out of the mental trap, he glared up at the maid's concerned voice, and pushed himself up without her offered hand. "I'm fine. It's not important. You wouldn't be able to help anyway."

He staggered down the hallway, arm against the wall to support himself. Why didn't anyone listen to him? Why was he ignored and cast aside? What had he done to deserve that? Tokiomi suddenly came up behind him, causing him to swipe at the figure behind him. Too late he realised it was not his nemesis, but Maria the maid; luckily, he'd just missed her. "Master Kariya!" She called him, with such emotion, that he had to stop.

The worms calmed down, the Master panting heavily. She came to look at him, her tender eyes bringing it all forth.

"Uncle this, uncle that, it's not fair!" muttered the Magus, babbling as he walked down the corridor. "Why not papa, father, anything else? It makes no sense. Didn't she like my voices? He never did the voices, so what does that mean about him?"

He suddenly rounded on the following maid, who had started the tears again. "Wait, could it be? That was it! It all makes sense now, Maria!"

"Wha, what?"

"I must be their true father. Yes, that was it. Aoi -was- mine before, just like I remembered. We were one big happy family."

"Master, listen to yourself, please!"

"Tokiomi came and made me forget all about it! Then he sent me away, kidnapped Aoi and the kids, then fabricated some story about me leaving." His jealous hatred gave way to excitement, an insane giggle coming from his mouth. "I was enchanted. He put a spell so I would be out of the way, and he could take over my family."

"Master, please!"

"What? It makes sense!" Her distance to him, his eternal love, their adoration. "Sakura knows it too, deep down. Wouldn't her true father do the voices? Oho, you are a bastard, Tokiomi, and very good, but I'm better. You'll see, we'll be together once agai-"

The slap echoed down the hallway, and the fury in his eyes gave way to the pain. "It doesn't make sense. This all nonsense, Master. You love her, God knows I do too, but this isn't the way. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but you're not her father, nor a husband."

He reared up like a wild beast, and saw Maria flinch in readiness. Instead of lashing out, he crumpled to the floor in a mess, bodily control lost in the confusion. "I know." It was just a whisper that she barely heard. "I know it's stupid, but for a moment, for a moment, it was heaven!"

"Get some rest, Master, please! You're going to get sick, and this isn't a nice place to sleep. Let's just go to your room and I'll make you some hot chocolate. Even Lord Berserker has retired to her room. Nothing more can be done now."

Kariya was silently, obediently letting himself be helped along. "Do we have, any marshmallows?"

=||====-

She was beautiful, radiant and pure.

She was hers.

This time, with Guinevere, it was different. Her partner was loving and gentle, knowing every part of a man and pleasing Artoria before their clothes had even come off!. Perhaps this was what was needed for them to finally connect. To be 'husband' and wife.

The nightgown was pretty and very short, not something she'd seen Guinevere wear before. Maybe she'd kept it for a special occasion, or just brought it? No, it had to be planned, since she wore the most wondrous perfume. It reminded Artoria of her childhood spent with Kay and Sir Ector, a more innocent and happier time.

"Artoria, what's wrong?" asked Guinevere, touching the King's cheek. A tear dripped from her eye, but she closed them.

"I'm just… I've been so lonely, and I thought we could never love one another. But, but now I, I need you. Please, help the pain go away, Guinevere" whispered the knight, shaking off her cloak. Guinevere took off her gauntlet, and led the transformed girl to their bed.

"I can't, but I can show you love. This child will not just be a symbol, but a sign of that love. Forget Merlin, forget the Kingdom, this is about us. It's just you and me." The kiss silenced any more doubt, including the voice inside that screamed at her. Something was off, it yelled, before the magic smothered it. "My Artoria."

"My Guinevere." The armour came off, and the bed welcomed them.

^v^v^v

In the dark, Berserker wept, curled up on the bed. Alone again, in a world so unlike the one she had known, she had no one to comfort her. The scorched word on her soul burned, shouting over and over in her mind.

Incest.

A grave sin, a dirty deed. She'd given in to her lust, cared about nothing but having sinful pleasure. She was a whore, a deviant, a lost soul, fit only for the brothels.

All she wanted was to be loved! Not for being a King, but for being Artoria Pendragon! Why did the world have to deny her that?

God was scrutinising her actions, no doubt seeing and being ashamed by the consummation of the two siblings. Why didn't he step in?

Artoria had never heard God's voice, or been privy to any special deeds or quests that many of her knights had gone through. Dreams and prayer led to them being in tales of honour and glory.

Screw God, then. Her life after that had been her penance, refusing to be a man, or woman, because of what it had done to her Kingdom. She would be a King, without gender, and never let herself fall pray to the sinful pleasures of the flesh.

Guinevere, of course, in a sexless marriage with a wife who ignored her, had no choice but to seek closeness with someone else.

It's your fault they all died.

Yes. All of it was Artoria's fault, her weakness bringing down an unshakeable Kingdom.

Being innocent had fucked her over more than once, but no more.

No fucking more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did consider having Kariya operate under his happy 'illusion' but it would have underlined the tragic, and somewhat dark, parts of his character development. It just brings out more if he keeps pining for a love he'll (probably) never have.
> 
> 1\. Mad Enhancement: For this Berserker, I've assumed her rank would be an EX type, meaning she keeps her speech but is extremely hard to reason with concerning anything not to do with her goal (IE, treating the servants nicely).
> 
> 2\. Zouken's status: He won't be appearing in this story (I have no plans for it and he's just my least favourite character so… yeah) and whether he died for real or not, who can say. It's an AU anyway, so let's say things happened so it did.
> 
> Peace out.
> 
> -WT


	4. King's Sorrow

Artoria leant against the wall, knees pulled up to her chest. A light snoring reminded the King once again of where she was.

Her Master's bedroom.

Purely to look after him, of course. An amateur magus like him warranted watching 24/7. It wasn't because she was interested in him or wanted to know more.

Definitely not.

At first he had looked peaceful, no doubt exhausted by the summoning and completely still in slumber. But slowly she saw the despair shine through, and heard the gentle whimpers that escaped his mouth. She looked down, tears trickling slowly as the raw memory of her life broke through now no one was around.

A King had to be strong, but she wasn't a King anymore. The Berserker had no right to the title after her Kingdom had fallen to civil war and her own knights had betrayed their sovereign lord.

The Servant wasn't a knight either. God had forsaken her that night in the bedroom, turned away by the girl's sinful act. Her subjects she lied to every day, proclaiming herself to be King Arthur and not Queen Artoria. They loved and worshipped a lie, all of it fabricated by the men around her.

In the end, this was what she was. A raging beast determined to destroy everything, with her only companion this wretched Master. For the second time that night the Servant stood up to watch the pathetic heap of malekind that was her Master. Her sorrows would come later; here was someone else's pain to think about.

Servants had knowledge of the modern world implanted in their brain by the Holy Grail. She knew the rules, goals and template she'd been summoned into, but still could not figure out why by him.

Pairs were chosen based on compatibility by the Grail, yet her Master could not be more different. He hadn't even taken off the hoodie, or even his jeans, perhaps ashamed of the scars on his body. Any man should be proud of his scars, for they showed the torments and trials one had gone through. Or he was just that tired from the summoning, which wasn't much better.

Lazy and cowardly, lustful and brash, he was ignorant of his own faults and failures. Her Master was everything she hated in men. Her masquerade of manhood protected Artoria from the leers and crude comments, but the visiting noblewomen or the maidservants weren't as lucky. Not a week went by she had to answer a complaint about one of her knights.

No, she couldn't fault him for being a man. Her father and foster father were good men along with Merlin, although he could have done more to stop Morgana's machinations.

This person, Kariya Matou, had no hope in his future. He was just another martyr for love, although that at least she could understand. Her men often shone when defending a beautiful maiden, willing to go to the ends of the earth to repair their honour, or save their life.

He wouldn't. His chance at love had come and gone, and instead of making an effort, he had waited until it was too late. A man like that only sorrow in his future.

Both Master and Servant were merely spiralling through the void. Neither of them expected to survive to the end; this was just their final shout at God. One last crusade before everything continued the same.

It was possible to kill him. He would be spared the bloodshed and torment to come, and she would return to die when she should have. The both of them would merely vanish from this world, and find everlasting peace.

No more anger, no more betrayal. No regrets, no sadness, just the end to their torture. Despite their differences, a mercy kill would be worthy of their promise, their bond, as Master and Servant

She pulled Excalibur slightly out of her sheath, getting into a good position. Before the Berserker could draw it completely, Kariya whimpered and whispered one word that stopped her.

"Aoi."

-The past-

"Who travels for love finds a thousand miles no longer than one."

Packing his things, the black haired youth looked again at the photo of him and a brown haired girl. It broke his heart in two, until he saw the other photo. The family one where an old, withered man plotted horrible evil.

It was for her. He couldn't have asked better for her to fall in love with another man. He could offer her protection and safety. Without him, her future would be bright and tranquil, allowing him to live the freedom filled life of a bachelor.

Yes. It was a good decision. She kind of understood his reasons, yet a young Kariya Matou was confident she'd figure it out in time. Not that he loved her; he'd held off on that and had been doing so ever since he saw the old man leering at him and Aoi playing together.

Zouken didn't believe he would actually leave, so it was easier that he'd do it when the decrepit zombie wasn't at home. He wouldn't care anyway; he had another son who would do better. He was more their father than Kariya was; he was just a spare.

Backpack ready, he didn't have much to take with him, Kariya left the house and his life.

-The present-

The knight steeled herself against the welling emotion, staggering back against the wall. Through the tears she smiled, hand to her mouth. Idiot. How could she have missed all the similarities that screamed at her? It all resonated so powerfully with her own aching soul that she began to laugh.

The sound woke up the Master, the name of his love fresh on his lips. Turning to face the intruder, he stared at the chuckling knight. Throwing her head and arms up, the King continued laughing, body forcing all its emotion out of her. The tears streamed down her cheeks, bloodshot eyes reminding Kariya just how insane his Servant was.

Her fit soon subsided, although the crazed expression remained. Stomping forwards, Kariya was nothing but a sack of potatoes in her strong grip. "LAUGH WITH ME, COME ON. IT'S FUCKING HILARIOUS!"

"W-what is?"

An unsettling calm lowered the room's temperature, her eyes shimmering with magic. "What right do I have to judge you worthy when I am not even worthy to be your Servant?"

"Could you let me down please?" whispered Kariya, calm despite his fear. Her anger wasn't directed at him, after all. The Servant pushed him onto the bed and then turned to the servants who opened the door.

"Get out! I need some alone time with my Master." She licked her lips, giggling at the horrified expression on the maid's faces. The door closed abruptly, and Artoria stroked his cheek. "I realise now, Master, how alike we really are."

"W-what?"

"Haunted by a forbidden love, while having your true nature restrained? Unable to have what you want while knowing it's your own fault? It hurts, right? TELL ME IT HURTS!"

"Yes! YES IT HURTS!"

"You try to fix it, but it only becomes FUCKING WORSE! You do your best, and what's your reward? A. CRUEL. END!"

"End it then!"

"No. No no no no no NO! That's not the point. YOU HAVE TO WANT TO LIVE!"

"Why?! HOW CAN I LIVE WITHOUT HER?"

"By changing that, you FUCKING IDIOT! NO MORE CRYING, NO MORE WEEPING, TOMORROW WE WILL TAKE THE FIGHT TO THEM"


	5. Berserker Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a quick bout of shopping and planning, Berserker unleashes her full might in the face of her first opponent in the Holy Grail War.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a lot of people were a little impatient for this, but we've finally gotten to the fight and who the Saber of this AU is (Just a tiny bit of shopping to build character). I like some of the theories bouncing around, but there can be only one if you've read my other story The Stained King.
> 
> So enjoy, Chapter 5: Berserker Rising

Fuyuki Shopping Centre

"Is this what you call taking the fight to them?" complained Kariya, hands filled with bags of shopping and merchandise. It had been a whirlwind time in the morning, with Artoria shoving a bowl of porridge in front of them and then the Servant yanking him around until they got to Fuyuki shopping centre.

Not that it was completely bad, he thought, looking down at Sakura humming happily along with them. "Aunt Artoria, can you get me this pleeeease?" she begged, tugging at the imposing woman's armour and pointing to the latest toy.

"Clothes first. We picked out something for your Uncle, but we still need my clothes. This armour gets very heavy" replied Artoria firmly, looking around the centre. Kariya sighed, wondering how the two girls had bonded so quickly.

Matou Household

Artoria stared at Sakura.

Sakura stared at Artoria.

Kariya Matou ate his porridge, ignoring the two of them. That suited the knight, and she bent down to reach Sakura's level. She prodded the girl's cheek, causing her to giggle. "Uncle, who's this?"

"I am Artoria Pendragon, King of Britain and Servant of Kariya Matou! All who stand in my way shall be defeated!" proclaimed Artoria, standing up proudly.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Kariya spat out his porridge, coughing as Artoria drew herself as tall as possible.

"No. No we are not, I, we are not like that. She is a friend of mine who is helping me with my magic."

"I have no interest in him. Anyway, boys are silly, right? We girls need to stick together" beamed down the Servant, ruffling Sakura's hair. She nodded and went to her own breakfast, her favourite cereal piled high in the milk.

Kariya looked enviously at the cereal and then at full bowl of porridge. "Now, finish up your breakfasts. We're going to go shopping."

==|====-

Fuyuki Shopping Centre

"Cheer up, Uncle! Aren't you excited for your new clothes?" asked Sakura, standing on the bench beside him and prodding his side. He chuckled at the ticklish feeling more relaxed with Berserker elsewhere.

"I guess. It's just… there's a lot happening right now, Sakura. I don't know if I'll be able to do everything I want."

She hugged his arm, and he paused. "Mama always has good things to say about you, Uncle. She always told me and Rin we could depend on you if anything happened!" He smiled at that, and nodded in agreement. Yes, it was true that, although not Godfather to the kids, he was as good as one when the position's actual holder was away most of the time.

He was about to say more, but Sakura suddenly became animated, pointing eagerly at something in front of them. The Master turned and gaped at the transformation.

Instead of her black, spiked armour and helm, she wore the most stunning outfit he'd ever seen. Smart dress pants and shoes, all white, contrasted perfectly with an embroidered corset and jacket. It was some sort of pantsuit but crossed with a wedding gown, thought Kariya, agreeing with his future daughter's opinion.

He could see Sakura was in awe, her eyes sparkling at the new outfit. Artoria smirked and then frowned at Kariya. "I will look after the child. You go change out of… that. I'll burn it later."

"But… my face-"

"Sakura, do you care about your Uncle's scar?"

"Nope! Mama said appearances aren't important, it's whats on the inside that counts!"

"Right. Now go change."

He walked off, grumbling to himself.

==|====-

Later came the actual planning over a cup of tea. Berserker had not gone too over the top with his clothing, thankfully, and put him back in his black jeans and trainers. However, they were of finer material than he was used to, and his black shirt almost melded with the dark, leather jacket.

It did feel good having proper clothes; and it put Sakura took a huge bite out of the cake they'd brought her, chewing it happily. Kariya ruffled her hair, and she giggled. So far all the Magus could see in her emotional range was neutral, joy and sadness. The worms were still in her, and they wouldn't go away soon.

"Master, because Sakura is here, we will talk mentally. Did Zouken give you any sort of direction for when you summoned me?" spoke Berserker into his mind. Kariya thought it over, taking a sip from his tea.

"He just said to let you run loose. I, however, will set you on Tokiomi as soon as I discover his whereabouts. I doubt his servant will prove difficult."

"Won't that ruin your relationship with Aoi if she finds out?"

Kariya didn't respond, thinking deeply about it. True as it was, he couldn't let the bastard live. "What do you suggest, then?"

"Take the other servants first. You still need to figure out the other Masters we are up against."

"Argh, this is so complicated!" he muttered, face in hands. The Magus looked at Sakura, eyes closed, smiling as she enjoyed her desert. "Yes. Keep a watch on the city. As soon as you detect servants, we will intercept them. Two birds with one stone" he thought, and saw Berserker nod approvingly.

It was going to be a long day.

==|====-

Matou Household

"Master, I have news." Kariya looked up from his computer, leaning back to receive Berserker's report. "It appears Assassin has been killed while sneaking into Tokiomi's mansion. I got a look at his Servant, and he is formidable. I believe we are right to focus on the others."

"Thank you. So, one threat is down." He closed the laptop and stretched, gathering his thoughts. "Shouldn't let our guard down, however. Do you know who Tokiomi's Servant is?"

"No, only that he is of the Archer class."

"Well, keep an eye on his mansion anyway. Until we know where the others are, I can't think of what else to do. Still, I wonder what will happen to Assassin's master now."

==|====-

Shipping yard.

The Master struggled in Berserker's arms, one around his body and another on his mouth to stop the terrified screams. The two of them jumped through the air towards the location of the fireworks. Really, all Berserker had told him was "Servants" before she grabbed him and hurtled out the open window. They could have just taken a car!

They dropped down, the cold air making Kariya wish he still had his his hooded jumper. Instead, a white scarf was wrapped around his mouth and neck, a special 'present' from Sakura given to him by Berserker after they landed. He touched it lovingly, and sighed. "The things I do for her" he muttered, hidden in the darkness with his Servant.

Berserker had said nothing, materialising her armour and looking at the two fighters. "Two Servants, as I thought. Lancer and Saber; it's quite a fight. Lancer's master I can't see, but the mannerisms and speech tell me he's some sort of Celtic barbarian."

"What about the Saber servant?"

"The woman behind him is clearly his Master. I sense intense magic from her. A direct confrontation with her would… be… unadvised…" trailed off Berserker, zeroing in on the Servant fighting Lancer.

That stance, that fighting style, the brown hair. Breathing heavily, Berserker stepped forwards for a closer look and saw his face clearly. That handsome, beauteous face, reminiscent of an angel.

Kariya grabbed his heart, feeling an intense force crushing down on his body. "W-what…?" wheezed the Magus, struggling to stand. He turned his gaze to the Servant, the colour draining from his face.

She was trembling. No, more than that, she was shaking violently and glaring daggers at the fighters before them. "Laaaaaa" breathed the Servant softly with tranquil fury, eyes bulging out in anger, back arching violently as if in ecstasy. "LaaaaAAAARGH!" cried Berserker, Kariya down on his knees from the pain.

"LANCELOT!" screamed the Servant, armour closing itself so she was just a faceless mask. Invisible Air covered the armoured body and spikes as she leapt off the roof, sword leaving a red line as the point sliced the air.

Kariya raised a hand to try and stop her, but coughed blood onto the floor instead. Was this what it meant to control a Berserker? He looked up weakly, praying to whichever Gods up there that he could survive this fight.

==|====-  
Saber

Sir Lancelot du Lac, Saber of the Einzbern's, readied the pipe in his hand. This lancer was tough, but everything around them was his weapon. Searching for his next weapon, an inhuman voice roared his name followed by an intense the killing intent like a hot wind.

Dread filled his entire body, pipe raised to repel the invisible object that cut his pipe in half. Before he could react, an armoured foot kicked him in the face, shoving the Servant back. He coughed, taking up a sheet of broken metal and using it to stop the projectile attack of black energy. "LAAAAAARGH!" roared his opponent, weapon slashing the entire collection of containers in half above him.

Scrambling away, Saber grabbed the street lamp, swinging it with all his might. Again, it was cut in half without effort, and then the blue Lancer intervened. "To interrupt a fight between warriors, have you no shame?" yelled his enemy(?), stabbing down.

A violent spin, and both Servants were hurled away. Through the invisibility he saw two glaring, red eyes. Something appeared finally, black flames that ran up the sword's length. "LAAAAAARGH!" yelled Assassin(?), unleashing a blade of dark energy at the lancer.

"What?" exclaimed the Hero, both spears clapped together in order to repel the attack. He grunted, but Saber saw it wasn't any use. The lycra clad hero skipped like a stone over the ground and into the water with enough force to cause a large splash.

The Servant could not see this new arrival, but he understood the killing intent as it turned to face him once more.

==|====-  
Berserker

C̵̨̜̏O̵͚̍̉͌ͅW̷͚̜̒A̶̼̖͑̉̽R̷̖̜̆͊Ḋ̷̨͎!̸̢́͝

T̶̮̖̲̱̥̒́͗̽̅̒̚͝R̵̞̻̬̙̬͙̈͌A̸͇͙̒̈́̔Ȋ̵̜͛̔̍͊̊͒̐Ț̴̠̲͙̜͍̰̄O̷̭̓Ṙ̵̞̳!̸̢́͝

F̵̨̕O̸̱̮̾Ȑ̶̭͝ ̸̾̍̃͜ͅG̵̻͖͌U̴̞̟̙͋̈́I̴͎̐Ṇ̶̙̠̈Ẹ̸̡͆̅V̶͖̤͝E̸͇̖̅̒̎Ŕ̸͉̈́̒E̸̟̗̳͌͝!̵̆̕͠ͅ

F̸̨̺̪̽Ỏ̴̘̖̍͑R̵̬̍͒͜ ̶̼́̄M̷͉̽̈́͆Y̴̠̓̀͂ ̷̦̪̌Ḳ̷̀̂Ḭ̸̜̈̐̂N̵̘̞͒̀͊G̶̢͝ͅD̴̩̎Ó̴̤̜͙̀̀M̵̢͉̥̔̔̾'̷̥̀̉S̶̢̜̊͠ ̷̰̣̪̀͝G̴̘͐̾ͅL̵͇͎̺̋̓O̵͓̖̍̈R̴͒́̕͜Y̷͕̞̿̉͗!̷̠͍̓̚

̷͍̥̖͂̒Y̶̠͈̒̿Ò̶̞̰͐͒Ú̴̲́̚ ̶̭̉M̷̹͎̙͗U̶͙̤̳̐͛̀S̶̝̽͊T̵̥͂̏ ̸̼̋̿̿D̴̠͖̺̾̋̍Ḯ̸͇͊̋Ě̵̝̘̠͑̉!̶̧̲͈̀́̌

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's long, but I wanted to get to the good stuff. I always had this in mind and it's nice to be able to write absolutely bugnuts crazy Artoria. Also I hope the 'glitches' text isn't too hard to read.
> 
> Next chapter: The Raging King


	6. Rage and thunder

Kariya slowly regained control of his body, fighting back the reflex to vomit. He had to pull himself together. This was just the first battle of many, and she needed him. He had to be stronger, had to be better, for her and Sakura’s sake.

Pulling himself up, he stepped forwards to check the fight, watching Berserker fight her nemesis violently. Lancelot, she had screamed, making him even more confused. Wasn’t Lancelot the bravest and most loyal of her knights? He was almost as well known as her, so why would she be so angry?

A small punch below his heart made him double over, wheezing. His hand came away from his chest covered in blood. His vision blurred and the panic set in, Kariya falling back. Some instinct for survival forced him to find cover, breathing heavily. It was curious how different this pain was to the one Berserker caused. One ethereal, one physical, but both were easing off.

The bullet clattered to the floor, but the blood remained. His new clothes were ruined, and that meant she’d be mad. He didn’t want her to be mad. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry” he whimpered, shaking his head against the fear.

“SURVIVE!” yelled her voice from deep within his heart, and it was like she herself with him. His fear evaporated, and the Magus stood with an impeccable calm. He was her Master, and only she was allowed to hurt him.

He could hear now, the gunshot, and moved his body slightly. The nausea returned, but somehow he now knew what it meant. The worms inside him were furious at being injured and within a Master who rejected them.

They wanted to kill, to slaughter, to feast. Thinking about it catapulted his throat forward, Kariya retching and releasing gigantic worms that burst into huge flies, their wings like huge blades. One moved suddenly, intercepting the next bullet and exploding in a cloud of viscera. As another sacrificed itself, the Magus looked for the shooter.

Scratch that, he didn’t care. Master or no, they all needed to die. “Kill them all” he whispered, hand outstretched. All but a few swarmed together in a large formation that filled the air. They split off, seeking out targets while Kariya watched his Servant fight.

<><><>

Artoria felt a surge of power as her sword came down, relishing in Kariya’s killing intent.

Yes, that is it. I knew you were worthy. With us together, no one can stop us.

A deep laughter rose up from her breast, echoing out the armour like a strangled gasp. The fear in Lancelot’s eyes fuelled the passion in her heart, a huge grin hidden by her mask. Master and Servant were more compatible than ever before, bringing a blessed clarity to each other. Thanks to him, she could now enjoy Lancelot’s suffering completely.

Fear me, traitor. Fear your past. Do you hesitate to draw Arondight because you know you are not worthy of it? Go ahead. I will destroy it with your pride.

A street lamp, another pipe, none of it could withstand the might of Excalibur and her own strength. Her Master was fighting, and she couldn’t be outdone by him.

Tired of his resistance, Berserker pumped her magic into Excalibur to make the black flames grow fiercer. ‘Have a taste of true power, scum.’ For a moment the surge of power drowned out any coherent thought, her Noble Phantasm held around the sword.

Down the blade fell, pushing him to his feet. The sword lifted, Artoria kicking him in the face to sprawl on the ground. Ignoring her ingrained chivalry, for a proper knight would let his opponent get up first, she finally filled her sword to the brim. It begged to be released, the limit fit to be burst and give her the desired climax.

It came down, unleashing the full might of Excalibur at the same time to tear up the concrete beneath their feet. Through the darkened flames she laughed, seeing her target scramble away. It soon gave way to sobbing, her fury at his escape overwhelming her mind.

Across it came, a horizontal beam cutting the containers once more. It did not touch Lancelot, however, who had drawn a familiar blade. Arondight finished materialising, and Artoria laughed through the tears. She ran with glee at him, laughing all the time at his terrified, but focused, expression.

<><><>

He thought one Master had been injured, as the magical presence had lessened, but looking around meant he could spot someone he thought dead. Assassin stood above them, watching the fight, and Kariya smirked to himself. The flies swarmed around the Magus in a protective cocoon, but before he could direct their anger there was a crack of thunder.

A bolt of lightning struck the battleground, blowing both fighters away in an explosion of electricity. The huge chariot was pulled by two similarly huge bulls, their yoke driven by a towering Servant. The red cloak denoted his majesty and his sheer size spoke volumes about his strength.

The Magus focused on the new arrival. Artoria wouldn’t be pleased at the arrival of Rider.

<><><>

Arondight was a powerful defence against her own sword, but Artoria had something nobody ever knew about. Reaching for something else, she found Saber’s attention distracted, and pressed the advantage. Suddenly he leapt out of the way, and it was then she heard the thunder. Who dared interrupt her fight? Nothing short of God Himself would quench her fury.

Despite that, she was pushed back a step by the giant’s arrival, looking up into the eyes of snorting oxen giving off a Divine aura. A spear narrowly missed her sword, Artoria instinctively reacting with a slash that cut it in half. Ignoring the Irishman’s swear, she leapt away, realising Invisible Air had gone from her body.

They could not see her shame. If Lancelot knew who she was he wouldn’t fight her at his full strength, and it she needed him to. Artoria Pendragon would only reveal herself to him in his last breath, relishing the look of horror and shock in the dying man’s eyes.

“Is this a fight or a mausoleum? All of you are taking this too seriously!” roared Rider, arms raised as he laughed.


	7. Hurdles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided not to replicate the battle as it happens normally, since that's not really fun and presumably we've all seen it. But I tried to keep the best bits and not deviate too much from developments and characterisation. If some parts are missing from characters, assume Artoria just isn't paying attention.

The Servant, who introduced himself as Iskander, King of Conquerers, postulated in front of the Berserker who just glared at everyone around her. It didn't matter how many came, how many stood in her way, she would destroy them all. The rage drowned out his voice, Excalibur pulsating in time with her heartbeat.

Perhaps she would have listened to some vague reasoning if he suggested teaming up against Saber, but the scent of blood reached her nose. Like a shark, Berserker zeroed it on the source, seeing the red liquid pouring from Saber's wound. Her eyes narrowed as she saw it healed over in a matter of minutes, quiet chanting reaching her ears.

Lancelot's white haired whore was behind that. No doubt he had fucked her too. She decided then, that if her body was destroyed, she would have her revenge on the one who caused her this anger, who caused her fate as become a Berserker.

Together they'd fought the ravenous and frothing maniacs charging at them from the invader's ranks. She knew those raving beasts were warriors who had given their souls entirely to the Gods they worshipped. To them, death was a release from life and a return to the garden of Paradise.

How she envied them now, how she respected those brave souls. Artoria Pendragon could never be the same, and that incensed her further. The barbarians had been right in their madness, and her civilised ways had doomed the Kingdom she loved.

Willing the fire to run up her body, she heard the brute make some outlandish claim about joining forces. "You would dare suggest such a thing in my presence? I, who led a country, who brought ruin to savages like you, serve under your banner? FUCK YOU!" Invisible Air was gone in her rage, turning into a black smoke fuelled by her rage. Not even her Master could recognise Berserker.

"Move. Or die" she whispered, Excalibur trembling in his hands, the blade of hardened darkness releasing waves of malevolent force. Iskander raised an eyebrow, stroking his chin.

"Berserker speaks? Outstanding. Perhaps more negotiation is possible! But if you seek battle, so be it. Might I ask it be a battle of honour and courage instead of this rampaging fury?"

"Move. Or. Die."

Out of the corner of her eye, Berserker saw Lancelot step back. "STAY THERE, TRAITOROUS DOG, OR I WILL DESTROY THIS CITY!"

"You shall do no such thing!" yelled Lancer, twirling his twin spears in readiness. "You would massacre thousands just to settle a grudge?"

"GRUDGE?" yelled Berserker, moving into action with sudden speed. Lancer widened his eyes at the ravening demon that came howling out of the black smoke, spear guiding the hidden sword away. Her gauntlet came up, sliding past the Servant's defence to slam into his jaw. Dazed, the Lancer just vaguely saw an arc of black light slam into him bodily.

He coughed up blood as it pushed him back, a long red gash almost splitting his body in two. Watching her opponent stagger, Berserker gathered another burst around her sword. "Die." This one came down, or would have if Saber hadn't jumped in and held it back with his own Noble phantasm.

**Saber**

"Oath to my King! Reaching the very end, beyond the boundaries." Berserkers rage grew tenfold at his words, but he'd think on that later. The Servant had to save Lancer so he could die an honourable death. For a knight of King Arthur who had lacked honour in his life, it was one way to redeem himself.

"King on the other side, look at this light! Arondight: Overload!" He aimed for the Berserker's chest, but the Servant's skill was too much for him to do that, instead letting it cut her wrist. She screamed in his voice, gauntlet grabbing his head and slamming him to the ground. A few teeth cracked, the grip brutal and hard.

Still, if this was how he died, defending an enemy's life, then so be it.

Except it didn't come. The heavens opened in a cacophony of lightning, the behemoth King of Conquerers rearing his chariot and bringing it down on Berserker. He felt the grip slacken, and rolled away as the demigod's full might fell on his opponent.

**Rider**

Brave actions, boy. You acted with true honour, as did your former opponent. I long to face you both on the field of battle, and to that end I must halt this beast's rampage. Her strength, her potential, her fury, it could end the war this very night. 

History books were laugh at such an end. No, better to let the fighting continue. Saber was hesitant and eternally sad, while Lancer seemed to be in between happiness and anguish. Berserker's rage was not merely indignation or domination, but something purer.

Unlike the other Servants, Iskander did not consider the term 'beast' a derogative one. Beasts large and small had challenged him just as much, if not more so, than the humans who worked against him. All their tales were rife with dangerous, huge, deadly and impossible beasts that seemed almost unbeatable.

But despite his admiration, she shamed them as Servants.

**Kariya**

The Magus missed most of the last few minutes, coughing up everything short of his lungs. Each burst of rage took a toll on his already weakened body, and he was tempted to force her retreat. Yet, no matter the pain he never passed out, nor did he feel like his life was in danger. On the cusp of death, or even chained to the gates of life, is how he imagined this must be like.

Artoria would never forgive him for forcing a retreat, but the Magus couldn't keep going like this. Kariya Matou knew this torture would drive him insane if it continued.

**Berserker**

Ridiculous Irishmen. What did they know about honour and fortitude? What did they know about her pain? English, Irish, Scottish or Welsh, they all fell to her to forces without a problem. One less in the living world was a blessing in Artoria's mind.

Now she could focus on her main target, the scourge of her legend.

Oh, he wanted to play? Good, finally he was becoming worthy of her blade. But Arondight would not be enough-SHIT THAT FUCKING HURT. Oh, oh you've done it now you bastard. First you take my wife, now you take my hand? He was an egg in her hands, the Berserker crushing it to the floor.

"Saber!" cried a female voice, drawing their attention. Something huge collided with Berserker, and the next thing the knight knew was being tossed over the ground, tumbling beneath the oxen's giant hooves. She couldn't think in the chaos, only cursing this fool for interrupting her crusade.

The charge ended, Artoria rolling to an undignified stop. "Kill. Everyone." Berserker rasped her words, panting heavily. Blue light shone from the cut on her wrist, the tendons and nerves cut apart.

"Kill" seethed Berserker, standing up and facing the three Servants head on. Or rather, two, because Lancer was nowhere to be seen. She swept her blade back, gathering magic into the blade again.

"Who is next?"

"How good you looked on the ground, pitiful mongrel!" echoed a clear voice that dripped with arrogance. She saw Iskander smile widely, turning his head to look at the newcomer. Saber kept on staring at the bestial Servant, staring at Berserker's sword.

Behind them, standing on a street lamp, stood a gold armoured being with his arms crossed. Red eyes surveyed the area with a limitless mirth, power emanating from his aura. "Archer! Welcome to the festivities!" cried Iskander, and Artoria felt a surge of adrenaline from her Master's killing intent. It felt good, allowing her to ignore the pain in her arm.

"Spare me your drivel, mongrel. I come to gaze upon my garden and what do I find?" His question went unanswered, Artoria's anger reaching boiling point.

"Archer! Kill Archer, not Saber!" yelled Kariya into her mind, feeling the pain in his chest build again. The Command Seals glowed as if inviting him to order her, but he only had two left. "Please. Please, kill him" begged the Magus, going down on his knees.

"Fuck! Heal me then you piece of shit" came Artoria's reply, and the magical energy on her wrist disappeared. Power beyond anything before surged through Berserker, and she turned to look at Archer.

"Not going to leave any Servants for us, eh, Berserker?" quipped Rider, unheeded by the King. Excalibur thrummed with even more power than before, outlining a vague sketch of black shadow.

"That look. A mongrel thinks it can challenge me? Realise your folly, mad dog!" Two portals of yellow opened behind Archer, swords quivering in anticipation. "Taste my steel." They flew at Artoria, her keen eyes latching onto the weapons. Once again, Servant and Master were in tune, allowing Artoria to intercept the first blade with her sword and let it spin wildly around the blade, controlling the sword with deft movements

Timing it exactly, the blade spun at such an angle it hit the spear, both weapons colliding with an explosion. Artoria heard the surprise from the other servants, but focused entirely on one. "How dare you destroy my treasures!"

Blades filled the sky for his next attack, and Artoria tensed her sword.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean, historically England has fought it's neighbouring countries over and over, and really, they've all had a go with each other. So I thought it made sense for Artoria to really get annoyed or angry at an Irish Servant.


	8. Sinful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion to the first melee. Similar, but not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit more fleshing out of side characters here, purely because I love Rider and Waver as a duo. More at the end, but for now, enjoy Chapter 8: Sinful

"Gate of… Babylon!" Archer held his arms up, laughing as a myriad of weapons old and new flew down at the Berserker. Without a word she swung Excalibur, knocking aside the first wave with a blast of energy. The second dived around it, forcing her to spin and lay the sword on her back, lest her arms weaken from the sheer effort.

Berserker countered the third wave by turning with the sword on her back still and stopping the blades with her spin, sword weaving over her armour. The last few weapons flew and clanged against Excalibur's flattened blade, halted in their momentum and falling to the ground. Taking up a random sword she flung it, weapon spinning into the air to slice the lamp post in half.

Archer jumped off, landing on the ground with a furious huff. "How dare you make me stand on the same ground as you!" He pointed a finger dramatically, then gave a deep, mocking laugh.

"Nothing escapes my gaze, mongrel. I recognise your pretty trinket and with it your station. Yet, if you think there is no one greater than your legend, you are sorely mistaken."

Another portal opened up above Gilgamesh' smirking face. He reached up and took out an ancient relic of a sword. It didn't shine, or glow, but the power reached through Artoria's rage.

"My garden is infinite in size, home to lands eldritch and foreign to your small-minded, conservative culture. The sword of Goujian shall do well to instruct you in this fact."

She'd heard enough. A pulse of anger from Kariya told her he was just as impatient. Against a servant like him, however, Berserker needed perfect synchronicity with her Master.

Kariya

For her sake, he had been clever. For her sake, he had thought and marshalled his thoughts as the Servant continued to talk. From the basics Zouken had taught the Magus, it was clear how the match up would go.

Archer might have an older Noble Phantasm, but it wasn't his; he'd said as such. Artoria's Noble Phantasm was her own and, while more recently created, had featured in many, many other legends that he'd heard of.

Ugh. He really was Tokiomi's Servant. Who cared about the posturing and hot air?

"Just kill him already" hissed Kariya, prepared for her prana consumption.

Berserker roared, running across the ground and bringing Excalibur down. Gilgamesh scoffed as he rebuffed the blade, knocking it away and leaving himself open to her second weapon.

It clanged against his golden armour, rage and confusion filling both eyes. "What?!" cried Archer in surprise, swords raining down in fury "Mongrel! You dare to wield yet another of my treasures?!"

Gate of Babylon rained Noble Phantasms down on Berserker and did nothing. Amidst the smoke and destruction slashed and swung the tarnished gold blade of Excalibur, sweeping weapons aside en masse while in Artoria's other hand thrummed the blade that had defeated her, becoming a part of her legend.

It was originally hers, after all, and she had taken it back before she had been summoned.

Clarent had returned to its rightful owner, gifting Artoria both the ultimate sword and the blade that defeated it. Emboldened by the rush of power, she renewed her attack until Archer jumped back.

"You steal my treasures, scratch my armour, and dare look me in the eyes? Prepare for your reckoning, mongrel!" He reached back for something then stopped, narrowing his eyes. "Tokiomi…" hissed the Servant, and lowered his arms. "Hmph, so be it. I've grown tired of playing with the rabid dog anyway."

Archer disappeared into sparkling wisps of gold, Berserker letting out a roar in response to her victory. Sniffing out the fresh fear from her prey, she turned and saw Lancelot staring at her second blade.

Saber

That style, that poise, that unrelenting and fluid movements of a woman combined with the strength of a man. He still couldn't grasp Berserker's identity or that of her sword, yet the second blade was one he recognised instantly. When it all finally clicked, Saber's emotions banged together into a splitting headache.

It wasn't his Lord, King Arthur, or to use her proper name, Artoria. His King has forgiven him, leaving just another sin he carried. She would never become a Berserker in this Holy War, but there was another knight who would.

The wielder of Clarent, sister sword to Excalibur and once property of King Arthur's Kingdom.

It wasn't Artoria in that armour.

It was Mordred.

He was facing Mordred, the Knight of Treachery. That was even worse, because it was his infidelity that weakened Artoria's rule and allowed her daughter to gain a foothold and cause the devastation that shamed them all. Many knights followed her in his defence, fighting against the same King who agreed with them.

Such sins burdened him, and now they had all caught up to Saber at once.

Any doubt was removed from his mind at her next words.

"Do. Not. Invoke. That. Name."

He was so screwed.

Berserker.

The harsh, grating laugh echoed from within her helmet once more, and Berserker stepped towards Lancelot slowly. If he moved away, she'd be on him like a dog, but for now Artoria was content in the slow torture.

"No way. That's… that's impossible!" cried a shrill voice, followed by an 'ow' as the speaker was cuffed around the head.

"What is it, boy? Speak up and be heard!"

"I glimpsed Berserker for a m-moment. Her statistics are immense, with no stat below a B rank. When she drew that second sword, they all increased by one. She's… she's… a monster!"

"Calm yourself, boy, and do not worry. After all, I am here!"

"Lancelot…" breathed Berserker.

"Kiritsugu! We have to retreat!" cried the woman's voice from before, desperation clearly heard. "Saber… Saber just hold out!"

"R-right!" came back Saber's reply, Arondight held upright in trembling hands. Berserker kept staring, and then suddenly sped up. The knight back-pedalled so fast he fell over, scrabbling back and panting as Berserker resumed her slow walk.

"Lancelot…" Berserker.

"Saber!"

"Irisviel!"

"What is this? Saber, are you scared of your opponent?" questioned Rider incredulously. "Fight and die like a man!"

"Shut up! Why don't you fight her then?"

"It pains me to see this. Once you were a proud night under King Arthur, but if this is all you can do, I guess he wasn't much of a ruler."

Kariya's scream echoed around the dockyard as Berserker rounded on Rider and pumped everything she had into the two blades. Artoria's own scream of rage drowned out her Masters anguished cries as the Servant funnelled it all into Excalibur.

The clouds split apart, sword blinding in the red glow coming from the blade. This was different from before, the magical energy not chaotic or fluctuating but contained. It wasn't merely a condensed blast of mana but the sword's true power on display.

Red sky, red earth, red water, everything was covered in the rage coming from Excalibur, Artoria not even realising Saber had disappeared already.

She took a deep breath to call out her sword's true name, and then sagged violently. The prana was gone, and she felt so empty. Berserker unleashed the energy she had already gathered and Rider knocked it away with his own sword.

"Master…" she breathed, not hearing any thoughts or emotions from the Magus. Staggering to her feet, Artoria glowered at Rider, unable to do anything except draw a thumb across her own throat in a simple, but clear, promise of what was to come.

Then she was gone, instantly returning to her Master's side. Kariya lay unmoving but for faint heartbeat only a Servant's heightened senses could pick up.

Rolling her eyes, Berserker picked up the Magus and took him home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fight with Archer was going to be longer, however I decided to save that for a later fight, as Archer would not care so much about Berserker yet. As for the rest of the Matou family, I'll be focusing on them in the next full chapter (There's going to be a small bonus one between Rider and Archer first). As for Caster, he'll probably make an appearance if I can think of something? But Kariya and Berserker never cared about him in canon so…


	9. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit late but it was a difficult to write Sakura and Shinji for me. I wish Heaven's Feel had come out sooner it would be a lot easier to write. Anywho, a bit of focus on Shinji and Sakura while Kariya is unconscious (It's plot related). I kind of learnt late that Shinji was actually sent away for the Fourth Holy Grail War by Byakuya but you know what, it gives more meat to the story so screw it.
> 
> Don't worry, Shinji is still a little shit.

Chapter 9: Aftermath.

Rider

Assassin had disappeared sometime in the chaos, leaving Rider alone with his Master. A cold wind blew from Fuyuki River to ruffle his cloak, reminding the King of Conquerers just how far he was from home. They were all lost souls really, drifting in the ether, and was it so bad he wanted to live this life in one glorious battle?

The Servant jumped down from his chariot, breathing in deep the smells of conflict. It had been glorious at first: two warriors as gods clashing in an epic battle heard across the land. However, such things were never certain where gods were concerned, and they had sent down Megaera of the Furies to cast her judgement.

From what he knew, both Lancer and Saber had indulged in infidelity during their lives, whether willing or not. Were there forces at work he couldn't see?

"Or maybe it was something I said" wondered Rider out loud, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "What do you think, boy?" There was no reply, and the Servant looked down to see Waver passed out. "Boy!"

"Don't kill me!" exclaimed the student, cowering on the floor. Rider reached down and pulled him up like a kitten, swinging his body side to side so he could see the battlefield. "Oh… they're gone."

"Indeed. It was quite a mess from that motley bunch."

The sound of clanking armour drew his attention, head turning to look at the marching, gold suited form of Archer. "I hope I misheard you, Rider. To compare me to the worms crawling in the dirt is an unforgivable offence." He stopped beside Iskander.

"Archer! Have you come to join me in glorious conquest?

"Hardly. I merely come to offer you the chance to bend your knee and become my servant."

"A magnanimous offer indeed, however Iskander, King of Conquerers, serves no man." Rider's grin prompted Archer to smirk at the huge servant. "What about you, Archer? Can you say the same after today?"

"You are mistaken, Rider. I merely saw no reason to play with a mad dog. I leave that to mongrels like you; my garden needs entertainment of all kinds."

"That is where we differ. Throwing yourself into the muck and dirt of battle proves a man's mettle. What warrior could just stand by and watch the bloodshed unfold?"

"You did pretty well. You did nothing but incense the Mad Dog."

"There is more to Berserker than you think."

"Really? Pray tell, Rider, what wisdom you have that has escaped me?"

The Matou Household

Shinji

Cold, angry eyes stared down at the huddled girl on the bed. He pulled the covers off, seeing the focus of his hatred in full. She was so beautiful, and he hated her for it. She was everything he wasn't.

"Why? Why did you have to come here?" demanded Shinji Matou loudly, shaking her awake.

"Shinji?" murmured a sleepy Sakura, opening her eyes. His fierce expression scared her, the girl scrambling away from her brother.

"It's your fault. It's your fault!" he cried, getting onto the bed and grabbing Sakura's small arm. She attempted to tug it away, whimpering.

"Please, let go. You're hurting me!"

"Look at you. You're not even a real Matou!"

"I... I don't want to be a Matou..." muttered Sakura truthfully, and cried out as his grip tightened. His expression became fierce, and his fist hit the bed where she had been seconds before. "You don't even want to be a Matou? You don't want to be my sister? THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE!"

"I-I don't-"

"What's wrong with being a Matou? What's wrong with my family? How dare you look down on us!" He raised his fist again, the girl stopping its fall with all her strength. "If you weren't here..." whispered the boy, bringing up his other hand and smacking her across the face.

She cried out, scrambling away as the tears fell. "Brother, please, stop-"

"I'm not YOUR BROTHER!" He grabbed for the younger girl and was yanked back.

Hatred. It was the only thing Shinji Matou registered before he was flung into the door. He cried out in pain, whimpering on the floor. "Shinji!" cried Sakura, running over to him. Another hand held her arm, the girl looking up into the furious eyes of Artoria. She pulled the girl back and drew a sword almost as big as Sakura.

Artoria

"Please, don't hurt him!"

"No" she replied simply, walking towards the quivering boy. He looked up in fear, eyes pinpricks of hatred. "He hurt you, so I'll hurt him."

"Please! He's my brother!"

"Shut up!" snapped Berserker, and looked back at the crying girl. Her hand gripped Excalibur so hard blood dripped onto the floor, the girl's expression creating a torment in her heart. "I'll give him Hell, then let Kariya deal with him."

"No! Please, don't tell Uncle Kariya! He'll kill him!"

"What makes you think I won't? You need to stamp out filthy brats like him before they get old enough to be a threat."

Sakura ran past her and stood in front of Shinji, arms outstretched. "Sakura..." whispered the boy weakly, holding a broken arm and losing whatever bravado he had. The girl saw Artoria visibly flinch and hold her head.

"Please, aunty. He... he won't do it again, right, Shinji?"

"No! No I... I won't hurt her again."

"See? Please, don't hurt him any more. We're family!"

"What about Tokiomi? What about your other family?" was what she wanted to ask her, but she knew it would betray Kariya's feelings. This was what he wanted; but he would not weather Shinji hurting her, and he would hurt her.

She had killed so many men, heard all sorts of things from their mouths, and knew Shinji did not mean the apology. He would hurt her again. The piece of shit was obviously jealous of Sakura, and jealousy never went away. Next time, he might do worse.

Don't you understand, Sakura? Your compassion, your empathy, they are your weakness. He'll take advantage of them; he'll use you over and over again. Good people do not prosper; it is the evil ones who survive. She wanted to shout that at her, but how could she?

Just as she knew Shinji was an evil little shit, she also knew Sakura would never step out of the way. Although broken by her circumstances, she persevered, continuing to be good in this sinful earth. Artoria fought back the tears, and just walked forwards. The fear on the kid's faces tugged at her heart, but she just sheathed her sword.

"Move. I'm leaving. I will not tell Kariya. Do it again, and I will kill you." As the kids scrambled away, she kicked the door open and raised a fist to Shinji. He flinched, crying out in fear, but she just continued onwards.

That was satisfying. In time, he'd get his dues.

Kariya

The past resonated in the Magus' mind. Thoughts and images from his Servant's life crafted a surreal dream.

"You fought well, Sir Knight. Truly I have not seen such prowess with a sword since Sir Gawain or Sir Lancelot came to me as you do now. But why do you, who has sworn no loyalty to me, nor entered my service, now destroy the Pictish forces of Loth in my name at great cost to yourself?"

The armoured knight removed her helmet, revealing her face to the throne room. Whispers and mutterings filled the chamber, everyone pointing out how similar she looked to King Arthur. Artoria stiffened for a slight moment before becoming still to listen.

"My King, there is none in the land I hear more of than Arthur Pendragon I grew up listening to your tales, and your knights safeguarded the lands from which I came. Everything I am I owe to you, oh King. As a knight of the realm I seek only to bring peace and glory to this great country."

"Who is your Master?"

"I have none. Only one is worthy of my service, and it is in his presence I stand today, my King."

"The status of a Knight of the Round Table is not to be given lightly. But in light of your deeds I will consider this request seriously. In the meantime, please, stay as my guest."

I knew. The hardest part was that I knew Mordred would kill me. After the sinful act took place, I ran and confided to Merlin about what had happened. With his magic, he foretold the child's fate as one who would kill me. Because of my infidelity, God had decreed I would now be taken out of this world by one I'd brought into it, completing the cycle.

Merlin advised me to slay the child and Morgana with him, but I refused. A child belongs to God, no matter its origins. Not one to be resigned to fight, I persevered to change it. I had an advisor who could see the future. If it could change once, it could change again.

If she turned against me, I would end her. If she fought me, I would kill her. I would not run from my death but face it head on, as a true knight.

Artoria

Her fist crashed into the wood, the Servant breathing heavily as her Master slept. How much more would God lay at her feet? It was not enough to have her sin compounded with this new life, but to see events turn out the same way?

She slipped to the floor, weeping softly beside the bed.

What merciful creator could torment her so much?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably the drinking party won't take place, unless I can figure out a way. But I've got a loose plan going ahead.


End file.
